Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 1

Written Answers - Local Authority Housing.

Michael Creed

Question:

431 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the amount of moneys provided by his Department for the repair of local authority houses at a location (details supplied) in County Cork under the remedial works scheme and any other heading; if he will be in a position to recoup any of this funding under the structural guarantee scheme under which local authority housebuilders are obliged to have insurance cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12148/01]

Michael Creed

Question:

432 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if beneficiaries under the tenant purchase scheme at a location (details supplied) in County Cork should be exempted from any local contribution towards works being carried out under the remedial works scheme as a result of section 13 of the Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1979, or the terms of their tenant purchase scheme pre-1988. [12149/01]

Michael Creed

Question:

433 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the amount of moneys being made available to Macroom Urban District Council for the repair of local authority houses at a location (details supplied); and if this allocation is separate from the funding available under the remedial works scheme for those who have already purchased their houses. [12150/01]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 431, 432 and 433 together.

The management, maintenance and improvement of its rented dwellings is the responsibility of the local authority concerned, in this case Macroom Urban District Council. Special funding is available under the remedial works scheme (RWS) operated by my Department, to assist authorities to carry out major essential works to certain groups of their rented dwellings which they cannot fund from their own resources. Under the terms of the RWS, works to purchased dwellings, which would otherwise be the responsibility of the owner, may be included in a project where the local authority considers such works necessary to avoid an unacceptable or incongruous result to the refurbishment of the estate as a whole. In such cases, my Department will fund 50% of the cost of eligible works.

Macroom Urban District Council's proposals for refurbishment works to this estate, at an esti mated cost of £200,000, were approved in principle under the RWS by my Department in March, 1999. As these proposals included certain works to purchased houses the local authority was informed that, in accordance with the terms of the RWS, my Department will fund 50% of the cost of eligible works in these cases. The terms of the RWS do not provide for the waiving of this condition.

A capital allocation to fund eligible works in this estate in 2001 will be notified to Macroom UDC shortly in the context of the overall financial allocations to local authorities under the RWS this year. Under the terms of pre – 1988 tenant purchase schemes, local authorities were required to ensure that houses sold by them were in good structural condition or, alternatively, to recoup to the purchaser the cost of works necessary to put a house in good structural condition. Under the terms of tenant purchase schemes from 1988 to date, houses are required to be sold at open market value based on their existing state of repair and condition. In either case, where such houses come within the scope of a RWS, my Department's contribution to the cost of eligible works is 50%.

Dwellings constructed by local authorities do not come within the scope of HOMEBOND, formerly known as the national house building guarantee scheme. In the circumstances the question of recoupment under this scheme does not arise.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

There are no proposals in my Department from Dublin Corporation to construct a new building and residential units at the location in question.

Question No. 435 answered with Question No. 380.